Pyrophoric lighter



June 9, 1942. P; s. RICHARDS PYROPHORIC LIGHTER Filed Dec. 22, 1941 Patented JuneQI, 1942 UNITED STATES: .PAT

ENT. lorriesrmornomo LIGHTER v Percy Searle Richards, London, England, assigner to The Parker England -j Pipe Company Limited, London,-

Application- December 22,` 1941, serial` No. 4245582 i In Great Britain December 31,1940

comme (ci. S7-7.1i

i This invention relates to pyrophoric lighters of the kind wherein the opening of the lighter is toggle joint the pivoted point of which is engaged by a snap over spring, the arrangement being such that upon the lever being turned about its pivot to .bring the members of the joint past the dead centre position,` the snap over spring effects the rapid lifting of the wick cover and simultaneously therewith a rapid actuation of the link to rotate the abrasive wheel. A nger operated sliding member may be provided for actuating the lever. a

To enable the invention to be fully understood it will now( be described with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a sectional view of the upper part of a lighter casing shewing actuating mechanism constructed according to one embodiment of the invention.

As shewn in the drawing the lighter casing i comprises a fuel container 2, and is provided with a wick 3, flint e and rotary abrasive wheel 5. A wick cover or extinguisher t is formed integrally with an arm 'l pivoted in the lighter casing at 3. An actuating link s is provided one vend being pivoted at l@ to a one-way clutch member il of known type arranged adjacent to the wheel 5. The other end of the link S is formed with a slot l2 which is engaged by a pivot pin i3 on the end of the arm l. The arm i is pivotally connected with a lever id whose opposite end is slidably mountedin a crank member i5 which is pivotally mounted at ita in the lighter casing. The lever it and arm l form a toggle joint and a coil spring i3 is tted over.

the lever it with-its ends respectively abutting the pivoted point oi the toggle joint and the crank member i5 so asrto effect a snap over action of the members of the joint when they have been moved past de ad centre position.

' of lthe lighter casing In operation the button IHS pushed inwardly by the iingerv of the operator and -as it slides it engages the projection I 'I and rotates the crank member about its pivot. The lever I8 is carried round withV the -crank member and it initiates the' rotation of the arm 'I until the toggle Y joint formed by the arm I and the lever I4 passes its dead centre position. At .this position the springv I6, which is normally under coin-v pression, becomes operative to eiect a rapid rotation of the arm 1 to lift the wick cover. Simultaneously with the lifting of the wick cover the link 9 is rapidly actuated by the pin It, and

the clutch H and the abrasive wheel 5 coupled thereto are rotated over the int d to ignite the wick 3. f

When the wick cover is closed, theparts are moved back into' the original positionand the lever it and the adjacent end of the arm 'i form a substantially straight 'line as shewn in the drawing.

The mechanism may be so designed that the arm i and wick cover form part of the top cover so that a `iush closure is provided. v

The one-way clutch coupling may consist-oi a disc slidably mounted on the spindle of the abrasive wheel and having ratchet teeth thereon adapted to engage recesses or projections on the side of the-wheel, a spring being provided for pressing the disc into contact with the wheel.

The described mechanism may be mounted as a self-contained unit which can be fitted into the end of a lighter casing and detachably secured thereto.

I claim:

l. In a pyrophoric lighter, a casing, an arm pivoted tothe casing and carrying a wick cover, a rotary abrasive wheel mounted on the casing, a link connecting the wheel with the arm, a pivoted lever .for actuating the arm and connected therewith to form a toggle joint and a snap-over spring operatively connected with the pivotal point of the toggle joint to effect the rapid rotacentre position and a snap-over spring operatively connected with the pivotal point of the toggle joint to effect the rapid rotation of the arm about its pivot and the simultaneous rotation of the abrasive wheel when the toggle joint has been moved past the dead centre position.

3, In a .pyrophoric lighter, a casing, an arm 4 pivoted to the casing and carrying a wick cover,

A nected with the pivotal point of the toggle Joint l mounted, means for rotating the crank member to eiIect the rapid rotation of the arm about its pivot and the simultaneous rotation of the abrasive wheel when the toggle joint has been moved past the dead centre position.

4. In a pyrophoric lighter, a casing, an arm pivoted tothe casing and carying a wick cover,

a rotary abrasivewheel mounted on the casing,

a link connecting the wheel with the arm, a pivoted lever for actuating the arm'and connected: therewith to form a toggle Joizt, a crank pivoted to the casing and forming a bearing in which the free end of the lever is slidably mounted, a manually operable slide for rotating the crank member, and a snap-over spring operatively ccnnected with the pivotal vpoint of the toggle joint to elect the rapid rotation of the arm about its and a snap-over coil spring surrounding the lever with its ends respectively abutting the crank member and the pivotal point of the toggle joint to eiIect the rapid rotation of the arm about its pivot and the simultaneous rotation of the abresive wheel when the toggle joint has been moved past its dead centre position.

- 6. In a pyrophoric lighter, a casing, an arm pivoted to the casing and carrying a wick cover, a rotary abrasive wheel mounted on the casing, a link connecting the wheel with the arm and having a pin and slot connection with the arm, a pivoted lever for actuating the arm and connected therewith to form a toggle joint and a snap-over spring operatively connected with the pivotal point of the toggle joint to effect the rapid rotationv o! the arm.about its pivot and the simultaneous rotation of the abrasive wheel when the toggle joint has` been moved past the dead centre position.

PERCY SEARLE RICHARDS. 

